1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to socket assemblies and, more particularly, to socket assemblies of the type for use in vehicle suspension and steering assemblies.
2. Related Art
Socket assemblies of the type that are generally used in automobile suspension and steering systems typically include a ball stud which is movable relative to a housing. Such socket assemblies typically include one or more bearings that are positioned within the housing and are in sliding contact with a ball portion of the ball stud to facilitate the rotation of the ball stud relative to the housing. The bearings are typically either made of metal or of a hard plastic material.
In socket assemblies with either metal or plastic internal components, internal clearances within the socket assemblies can reduce the operating lives of those socket assemblies. For example, eccentricities between centerlines of various spherically curved components in a socket assembly can cause adverse wear and/or movements in the socket assembly during its operating life.
One approach to minimize clearances between components of a socket assembly is to add an extra component which is collapsible and then collapsing that component during assembly. However, the use of such an additional component is only possible in cases where there is enough space to add such a component, and even then, the addition of such an additional component adds manufacturing and material cost to the socket assembly.